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Biomedical subjects

S Akbulut

Publications and source records attributed to S Akbulut.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Modification of hydraulic conductivity in granular soils using waste materials.

This paper evaluates the use of waste products such as silica fume and fly ash in modification of the granular soils in order to remove some environmental problems and create new useful findings in the field of engineering. It is known that silica fume and fly ash, as well as clay material, are used in geotechnical engineering because of their pozzolanic reactivity and fineness to improve the soil properties needed with respect to engineering purposes. The main objective of this research project was to investigate the use of these materials in geotechnical engineering and to improve the hydraulic properties of soils by means of grouting. For this reason, firstly, suitable grouts in suspension forms were prepared by using silica fume, fly ash, clay and cement in different percentages. The properties of these cement-based grouts were then determined to obtain the desired optimum values for grouting. After that, these grouts were penetrated into the soil samples under pressure. The experimental work indicates that these waste materials and clay improved the physical properties and the fluidity of the cement-based grouts and they also decreased the hydraulic conductivity of the grouted soil samples by sealing the voids of the soil. The results of this study have important findings concerning the use of these materials in soil treatment and the improvement of hydraulic conductivity of the soils.

Aluminum Silicates↗

Acute phase response during radiotherapy.

PURPOSE: The acute phase response is characterized by changes in the plasma concentrations of a number of liver-synthesized proteins, one of which is C-reactive protein (CRP). The existence of these changes in the plasma profile underlies the change in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Acute phase response itself is an illness and may result from immunologic reactions and inflammatory processes. This study is designed to determine whether the CRP level and ESR increase during radiotherapy and whether their rise correlates with acute and late radiation morbidity. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between April 1997 and October 1998, 51 patients with the diagnosis of endometrium and cervical cancer were treated with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. Median age at the time of radiotherapy was 52 (range, 26-73) years. Thirty patients received pelvic radiotherapy, and 21 patients were treated by pelvic-paraaortic irradiation. A total dose of 50.4 Gy to the pelvis and 45 Gy to the paraaortic field were delivered in conventional fraction. Erythrocyte sedimentation rates and CRP levels were studied before, during, and at the end of radiotherapy. RESULTS: The mean ESR measurements before and after radiotherapy were 40 (8-100) and 52 (10-120), and mean CRP levels were 1.4 (0.12-9.8) and 2.7 (0.12-32.2), respectively. The statistical analysis yielded significant rise in ESR and CRP levels at the end of radiotherapy (p < 0.001). The increase was more prominent in patients who were irradiated through pelvic-paraaortic field than in patients with pelvic radiation (p = 0.005 and 0.028 respectively). CONCLUSION: Acute phase response was present during radiotherapy. Radiotherapy should be considered as a cause of increase in CRP level and ESR especially in clinical conditions where acute phase response is important.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗

Expression of the melanocortin 5 receptor on rat lymphocytes.

The expression of melanocortin-5 receptor (MC5-R) mRNA and protein was characterized from isolated rat lymphocytes. The presence of MC5-R mRNA in spleen and thymus tissues was demonstrated by RT-PCR. The RT-PCR product was sequenced to confirm the identification of MC5-R. Tissues from lachrymal glands, adipose, adrenals, thymus, pancreas, and isolated splenic lymphocytes were detergent solubilized. The crude proteins were resolved by SDS-PAGE, transblotted to a nitrocellulose membrane, and probed for MC5-R using anti-receptor rabbit antisera. Two different types of polyclonal rabbit antisera were raised against synthetic peptides representing epitopes found at the amino (alphaN-MC5-R) and the carboxyl termini (alphaC-MC5-R) on the MC5-R. A prominent band at 77,000 (p77) was detected in all tissues except the pancreas. Preimmune sera did not detect p77 by Western analysis and the addition of peptide antigen neutralized the detection of p77 by the specific antisera. The receptor protein was purified from spleen and thymic lymphocytes using protein A agarose that precipitated material complexed to alphaN-MC5-R. The purified MC5-R was detected by Western analysis using alphaC-MC5-R. Both anti-receptor antisera, alphaN-MC5-R and alphaC-MC5-R, detected the p77. The p77 was treated with protein endoglycosidase F to produce a smaller protein band between 34-38,000 (p35); the inferred size is 37,000 based on the cDNA sequence. The data suggest that Asn-linked carbohydrate groups account for much of the p77 mass of the MC5-R. The data also demonstrate the expression of MC5-R protein on rat lymphocytes, thus, supporting the hypothesis that MC5-R is the ACTH receptor on lymphocytes.

Adipose Tissue↗

Primary chest Hodgkin's disease diagnosed by pleural biopsy: case report.

Hodgkin's disease involving the lung and pleura is rare. A case of a 40-year-old woman with one year history of pain in the left arms spreading into chest is presented. Computed tomography showed a mass of 5 x 7 cm in the left hemithorax mediastinum and pleura, pleural effusion and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Diagnostic methods including percutaneous needle aspiration biopsy of pleura, brochoscopic biopsies, bronchoalveolar lavage, cytological examination of the pleural fluid did not disclose any pathological diagnosis. Lastly, we performed pleural biopsy by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and we showed that the lesion was HD of nodular sclerosing type.

Adult↗